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FACTS “Archaeologists in Egypt uncovered one of the most significant extra-biblical confirmations of the Bible: the Merneptah Stele. Dated to around 1208 BC and commissioned by Pharaoh Merneptah, the monument records a military campaign into Canaan—and mentions Israel by name for the first time in recorded history. This timing aligns precisely with the biblical period after Joshua and during the era described in Book of Judges, when Israel existed as scattered tribes without a king or capital. Linguistically, the stele identifies Israel as a people, not a city—distinct from nearby city-states like Ashkelon and Gezer. The evidence shows Israel already living in the land before monarchy or Jerusalem, exactly as Scripture describes. The stele doesn’t quote the Bible—it independently confirms it."